Monday, 26 August 2013

Too much force from Gendarmes against bull fighting protesters

In SW France at Rion des Landes, protesters entered the arena trying to disrupt the bullfight. Their action was met with extreme force by the gendarmes and bullfight organisers,leaving one protester in a coma with a serious head injury. The gendarmes were accused of " brutality and savagery" and looking at some video footage it certainly seems as if they went over the top.
Bullfighting, known as “corrida”, from the Spanish term, is illegal in France, but a cultural heritage loophole allows it to continue to take place in southern and south-western France.
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    Electronic cigarettes may be carcinogenic

    In three models out of ten, the levels of [carcinogenic compound] formaldehyde come close to those of a conventional cigarette, says a new report out.
    In May 2013, French Health Minister Marisol Touraine announced that the ban on smoking in public places would now be extended to cover electronic cigarettes.
    Some 73,000 people die from smoking-related illnesses in France each year.
    Unlike other European countries, the number of smokers has remained constant in the country despiteprice hikes on tobacco products and health-awareness campaigns.
    Val says  Malc is shocked that I did not know there were such things as  electronic cigarettes.
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    The Anglican Chaplaincy of Midi Pyrenees and the Aude

    Click on the image to view

    Val says I thought readers may want these contact details and so I have added the information to the right hand column, so contact details will always be there.
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    Not everyone reads us, I do not believe it!

    Our friends don't read TAG, said to me  with a dismissive wave. Well around 700 people do and I 'll tell you what,  maybe they say they do not read it and then sneakily do.! Or alternatively they do not have the skills to use a computer.
    I do like having the last word.
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    Things happening in the area

    Tuesday 27th Marche gourmande at Lasalle.
    Thursday 29th Folk and Jazz evening at La Contie, for directions email Brian at dellcottgreen@gmail.com it starts at 8.00 prompt.  Bring your own drinks and nibbles then sit back and enjoy the performances, all for just 2€  If you want to participate just turn up on the night or email folkjazz82@outlook.com do not forget that you will need a chair
    Sunday 1st Vide Grenier at Monteils near Caussade, this is quite a big one
    Sunday 1st  Domaine de Montels (on the old road to Montauban) vendage, wine tasting, food, stalls, glass blowers and more (you may even see the FiFi cupcake lady selling her wares!)
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    The DNA of Allison and her mother found in father's freezer

    The terribly sad story of the missing beauty queen and her mother from Perpignan has taken another turn. The father who was  in the Foreign Legion committed suicide leaving a video saying he was not responsible for them going missing. We then heard that he was still being investigated  for the disappearance of his girlfriend a few years ago. Now the gendarmes have identified the blood of mother and daughter in the ex husband's  freezer. This is a story with no happy ending for 3 missing ladies.
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    We pop up everywhere

    A reader in Henley on Thames and it is not our daughter! In fact an acquaintance of our daughter spoke to her after his holiday in Najac and said " I discovered this really good blog about the area when we were holidaying in Najac and I  deduced it could be your Mother's.  He was apparently looking up the motocross at Laguepie and up came TAG.  We pop up all over the place. I do hope she told him we have a gite!
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    One of my little homilies

    I heard someone recently say " I do not give money to charities and I hate being asked to give all the time."
    Firstly let me say an attitude like that never makes you happy, the most pleasurable thing in the world is giving, be it money, your time, a kind word, just being thoughtful. Fortunately TAG asks no one
    for money except advertisers. We do have fund raising events which I understand are not for everyone but fortunately are for some. Having fun and giving at the same time is such a pleasure. The Regatta is totally free but at least 6 people gave their time to make others have a nice day. Giving is not always about money. Happiness is gained by empathy with others, to animals and all creatures. Oh! Gosh this could be a Sunday sermon brought on by finding the local church contact! but no, it is simply I know that  the people who do not give are missing out.
    I checked this post with Malc, who said " post it if you want " Saintly Val"
    I may regret it, but here goes. Anyway a bit of controversy appears to be good for viewing figures .
     My Mother will be looking down saying " I do not  know where I went wrong with our Val, I told her charity begins at home"
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    David's Sunday Lunch

    Sunday lunch can be a slightly controversial topic in our house. The controversy arises from the cultural difference between Linda, my English wife and me, an American. What Linda thinks constitutes a great Sunday lunch and what I consider to be a great Sunday lunch can at times be two different things. Read more in Cooks
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    Losing TV reception, all is not lost

    Hi Val
    If you lose TV for whatever reason, go to filmon.com and you can watch the main UK channels on your computer for free. We always use it if heavy rain knocks out the satellite. You also get channels from around the world, including such gems as QVC Germany!
    Doreen x
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    What can be shot and when

    http://www.frc-midipyrenees.fr/IMG/pdf/arrete_ouverture_et_cloture_2013-2014-2.pdf
    might be of interest....?
    Karen
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    Consumer rights problem

    I had occasion to look up what my rights were earlier this year but fortunately have not yet had to use them..

    http://www.ctrc-mp.fr/accueil/accueil.php this is a list of consumerassociations for the Midi Pyrenees divided into to departments.

    http://www.brittany-internet.com/BrittanyNews/ConsumerRightsFrance/tabid/169/Default.aspxThis is a link to European legislation in English and French.
    Hope this is of use
    Neville
    Ann Heeley says
    Hi Val,
    I had a similar problem with a TV.
    I believe that you can go to the gendarmerie and request a 'porte plainte' against the company. This is for dealing with robberies and also 'escroqueries' (swindles).
    Also in Montauban there is the office of public finance, which has the 'Association de Consommateurs du Tarn et Garonne'. It may be worth contacting them. It's the equivalent of the citizen's advice bureau or the office of fair trading in the UK
    La DGCCRF à pour tâche de remplir 5 missions principales : réguler les marchés, garantir le respect de la concurrence, assurer la qualité des produits, protéger les consommateurs et être attentifs aux attentes de la population.

    Hope this helps,
    VICTORIA SAYS MANY THANKS, WILL TRY SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS.
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    Has anyone had a similar experience which may help, or know the answer?

    Hi Val,
    Thanks for your updates.  All very informative.  I wonder if you can help ... I am trying to find out if there is a consumer ombudsman in France ?  We bought a heat exchanger for our pool this year and it worked for precisely one week and since July we have been trying to get it fixed or replaced ... we are being given the complete run around and no-one is accepting responsibility.  We have got to the stage we want to return the machine and get our money back and I need help !  I am also going to get Barclaycard UK (through which I purchased the machine) to try and follow it up.  Would be grateful for any advice.
    Regards,
    Victoria
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    Manuel Valls again

    Minister Valls  is a fierce supporter of the fight against the Islamization of the country. Early this year, speaking in Brussels at an international conference on extremism, he said that measures had to be taken to prevent the spread of "global jihad." Valls, in particular, noted that he considered it necessary to deal with Muslims who identify themselves as Salafis. He said that they were trying to infiltrate various organizations, schools, communities, and brainwashing entire families. Valls warned that France would be deporting all imams and all foreign preachers who criticize the French values ​​and conduct propaganda against the French.

    Many politicians supported the Minister after the meeting. The ex-Prime Minister and head of the opposition party "Union for a Popular Movement" (UMP) Jean-Francois Cope said that he had been talking about this for years, and was very offended that the officials refused to see the truth. He added that the government was there not only for admitting that the problem existed but for ensuring that it gets solved. Such solidarity is not surprising, as Sarkozy's right-wing government has also proposed tough measures to limit immigration, such as DNA tests for candidates for entry into France and an exam in French on "knowing the values ​​of the French Republic.    Taken from English Pravda.ru I could also have read the same article in Russian!
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    Summer is over - William is back

    William Leymergie is back after his holidays on Telematin France 2. This always makes us laugh, William has so much power and influence as anchorman and producer, he gets all the major holidays and the also-rans stand in.
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    Not easy to stop smoking

    The failure to reduce tobacco consumption was seen as a major setback to the government, as it is the major cause of deaths from cancer in France – 25% of all cancer deaths – and during the last four years more women and unemployed people had taken up smoking. 
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    Good looking Manuel Valls is popular

    Barcelona-born Manuel Valls,  cut his teeth winning elections in the tough suburbs of Paris. A member of President François Hollande’s Socialist Party, he has been the current government’s most popular member in consistent opinion polls for much of the past year. Manuel is the Minister of the Interior and talks tough on crime.Francois Hollande is rumoured to have " whipped him into line for hogging the limelight" 
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    Depardieu playing DSK


    Two years to the day after his arrest in New York City, a film trailer about the downfall of Dominique Strauss-Kahn has hit the web. Abel Ferrara has directed the controversial movie. Two of my most disliked men,  DSK and Gerard Depardieu playing DSK, and yet I may watch the film when it is released , just to tutt tutt of course.

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    A 15 metres fall into the Garonne, after a night out drinking

    A young man who tumbled from the Pont- Neuf in Toulouse after a night out drinking, survived with numerous fractures. He was very lucky as several others have died from other such  drunken accidents.
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    Sunday, 25 August 2013

    Pet sitter needed four days in October

    Four nights from  21st of Oct, a pet sitter needed. Contact Val  mail@bromlea.com
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